Chapter 18: When the Smoke Clears – Who Stands, Who Falls?
Imperial Crown Ruins – Sunrise
The first light of dawn pierced through the thick clouds of smoke and ash.
The once-mighty Lu Empire lay in ruins, its towering buildings reduced to twisted steel and shattered glass.
Selina crawled from beneath the rubble, her arms scraped raw and bleeding, her breath shallow and ragged. Each movement sent waves of pain through her battered body, but she forced herself up, eyes frantically searching for any sign of life.
How had it come to this?
Just hours ago, she had been ready to fight for a new future. Now, all she could see was death and destruction. And Damian…
Where was Damian?
Her hope felt like the last flickering candle in a storm, struggling to stay lit amidst the howling winds of despair.
Her ears rang with the aftermath of the explosion, but through the haze, she heard it—a faint, familiar voice.
"Mama…?"
Her heart clenched painfully.
Her son!
Ignoring the searing pain, Selina ran toward the voice, tears blinding her as she stumbled through the wreckage.
She found him—alive, crying, covered in dust but unharmed.
Selina dropped to her knees, pulling him into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Mama's here… Mama's here, baby…"
But even in that moment of fragile joy, fear clawed at her heart.
"Damian…" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Where are you?"
Scene Switch – Somewhere in the Smoke
Damian lay motionless under the collapsed steel beams.
His chest barely rose, blood seeping from his wounds, his vision clouded and dark.
Through the crushing weight and fading consciousness, he heard Selina's voice.
Faint. Distant.
But enough.
This wasn't how his story ended. Not without seeing her smile again. Not without feeling her in his arms one last time.
With a final, desperate surge of strength, he pushed against the debris.
It felt like trying to lift the weight of the entire world with broken bones, but love was a force stronger than death.
From the smoke, a tall, bloodied figure appeared—Damian.
Selina turned, her tear-streaked face lighting up with hope.
But before she could reach him, a single gunshot echoed across the ruins.
Damian staggered, his eyes meeting hers one final time before he collapsed.
"NO!" Selina's scream ripped through the morning air as the scene faded to black.